Pentas plant named ‘PEZZ0015’

ABSTRACT

A new  Pentas  plant named ‘PEZZ0015’ particularly distinguished by the large sized inflorescences and flowers, with pink flowers, dark-green foliage, semi-trailing, sturdy and vigorous growth habit, thick stems and branches on a well-branched plant, tolerates hot summer conditions with continuous summer flowering.

Latin name of the genus and species of the plant claimed: Pentaslanceolata.

Varietal denomination: ‘PEZZ0015’.

BACKGROUND OF THE NEW PLANT

The present invention comprises a new Pentas, botanically known asPentas lanceolata, and hereinafter referred to by the variety name‘PEZZ0015’.

‘PEZZ0015’ is a product of a planned breeding program. The new cultivar‘PEZZ0015’ has large sized inflorescences and flowers, with light pinkcolored flowers, dark green foliage, upright, sturdy and vigorous growthhabit, thick stems and branches on a well-branched plant, tolerates hotsummer conditions with continuous summer flowering.

‘PEZZ0015’ originates from a cross hybridization of two (2) siblingseedlings in a breeding program made in May 2014 in a greenhouse inGilroy, Calif. The female parent was identified as ‘PTSAA0181-8’ withwhite flower color.

The male parent was an unpatented plant identified as ‘PTF0414-1’ withdarker pink colored flowers. The resultant seed was sown in August 2016in Gilroy, Calif.

‘PEZZ0015’ was selected as one flowering plant within the progeny of thestated cross in November 2016 in a greenhouse in Gilroy, Calif.

The first act of asexual reproduction of ‘PEZZ0015’ was accomplishedwhen vegetative stem tip cuttings were propagated from the initialselection in January 2017 in a greenhouse in Gilroy, Calif.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF INVENTION

Horticultural examination of plants grown from cuttings of the plantinitiated in June 2019 in Gilroy, Calif., and continuing thereafter, hasdemonstrated that the combination of characteristics as herein disclosedfor ‘PEZZ0015’ are firmly fixed and are retained through successivegenerations of asexual reproduction.

‘PEZZ0015’ has not been observed under all possible environmentalconditions. The phenotype may vary significantly with variations inenvironment such as temperature, light intensity, and day length.

A Plant Breeder's Right for this cultivar has not yet been applied for.‘PEZZ0015’ has not been made publicly available prior to the effectivefiling date of this application, notwithstanding any disclosure that mayhave been made less than one year prior to the effective filing date ofthis application by the inventor or another who obtained ‘PEZZ0015’directly from the inventor.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined tobe basic characteristics of the new variety. The combination of thesecharacteristics distinguishes this Pentas as a new and distinct variety.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying photographic drawing shows typical flower and foliagecharacteristics of ‘PEZZ0015’ with colors being as true as possible withan illustration of this type. The photographic drawing shows in FIG. 1 aflowering plant of the new variety and in FIG. 2 a close-up of aninflorescence.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The plant descriptions and measurements were taken in Gilroy, Calif. inearly September under natural light. These plants were approximately 30weeks old and were grown in a 1 gallon pot grown first in a greenhousetrial and then outside for about the last 10-12 weeks. The plants shownin the photographs were about 17 weeks old growing in a gallon pot in agreenhouse trial. The photographs were taken in June 2019.

Color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society ColourChart (R.H.S.) 2001.

TABLE 1 DIFFERENCES BETWEEN THE NEW VARIETY ‘PEZZ0015’ AND A MOSTSIMILAR VARIETY ‘Bismarck Pink’(U.S. ‘PEZZ0015’ Plant Pat. No. 15,780)Habit: More vigorous Less vigorous and trailing Leaf size: LargerSmaller Flower size: Larger Smaller

-   Plant:    -   -   Form, growth and habit.—Seni-trailing, sturdy and vigorous            growth habit; good heat tolerance with continuous flowering            through summer; thick stems and branches with a            well-branched plant habit.        -   Plant height.—51.0-53.0 cm.        -   Plant height (inflorescence included).—35.0-36.0 cm.        -   Plant width.—37.0-39.0 cm.-   Roots:    -   -   Number of days to initiate roots.—12-14 days at about 22            degrees C.        -   Number of days to produce a rooted cutting.—4-5 weeks at 22            degrees C.        -   Type.—Fine, fibrous, free branching.        -   Color.—RHS N155B.-   Foliage:    -   -   Immature leaf, color upper surface.—Closest to RHS 139A.        -   Immature leaf, lower surface.—Closest to RHS 146A.        -   Mature leaf, color upper surface.—Closest to RHS 139A.        -   Mature leaf, color lower surface.—Closest to RHS 146A.        -   Length.—12.0-13.0 cm.        -   Width.—6.0-7.0 cm.        -   Shape.—Ovate.        -   Base shape.—Attenuate.        -   Apex shape.—Acute.        -   Margin.—Entire.        -   Texture upper side.—Hirsute.        -   Texture lower side.—Hirsute and more heavily on the veins.        -   Color of veins, upper surface.—RHS 146B.        -   Color of veins, lower surface.—RHS 147C.        -   Pattern of veining.—Pinnate.        -   Petiole color.—RHS 145A.        -   Petiole length.—1.5-1.7 cm.        -   Diameter of petiole.—0.2-0.3 cm.        -   Texture.—Hirsute.-   Stem:    -   -   Quantity of branches.—7-8.        -   Color of stem.—RHS 147C.        -   Length of stem.—18-20 cm.        -   Diameter.—1.0-1.2 cm.        -   Length of internodes.—5.0-6.0 cm.        -   Texture.—Hirsute, pilose.-   Peduncle:    -   -   Color of peduncle.—RHS 138B.        -   Length of peduncle.—9.0-10.0 cm.        -   Peduncle diameter.—0.3-0.4 cm.        -   Peduncle texture.—Pilose, hirsute.-   Pedicel:    -   -   Color of pedicel.—RHS 138C.        -   Length of pedicel.—1.0-1.1 cm.        -   Diameter of pedicel.—0.2 cm.        -   Pedicel texture.—Pilose, hirsute.-   Bud (just before opening):    -   -   Color.—RHS 75D.        -   Length.—1.3-1.5 cm.        -   Width.—0.5 cm.        -   Shape.—Elliptical.-   Inflorescence:    -   -   Type.—Terminal corymb; but more umbel looking.        -   Natural flowering.—Late spring and summer, flowers            continuously.        -   Number of inflorescences per plant.—20-22 with open flowers            and 7-9 immature with only buds.        -   Fragrance.—None.        -   Inflorescence diameter.—8-10 cm.        -   Inflorescence depth.—4.5-5.0 cm.-   Corolla:    -   -   Form.—Single, tubular-shaped flowers consisting of a single            whorl of 5 pointed petals fused at the base; aspect slightly            cupped; very free flowering.        -   Lastingness of individual flowers.—About 3-4 weeks depending            on temperature.        -   Immature.—        -   Color upper petals, upper surface.—Closest to RHS 63C.        -   Color upper petals, lower surface.—Closest to RHS 69C.        -   Mature.—        -   Diameter of floret.—2.3-2.5 cm.        -   Depth of floret.—2.2-2.4 cm.        -   Color upper petals, upper surface.—RHS 62C.        -   Color upper petals, lower surface.—RHS 69C.        -   Length petals.—1.0-1.1 cm.        -   Width of petals.—0.6-0.65 cm.        -   Petal shape.—Ovate.        -   Apex shape.—Almost cuspidate.        -   Margin.—Entire.        -   Base.—Fused.        -   Petal texture, upper surface.—Papillose.        -   Petal texture, lower surface.—Papillose, with some hairs            down the mid- vein.        -   Corolla tube color, inside.—Closest to RHS N155C.        -   Corolla tube color, outside.—Closest to RHS 156C.        -   Corolla tube length.—About 1.7 cm.        -   Corolla tube diameter.—0.2-0.3 cm.        -   Corolla tube texture, inside.—Very hirsute at throat with            hairs running the length of the tube.        -   Corolla tube texture, outside.—Hiruste.        -   Corolla throat diameter.—0.4-0.5 cm.-   Calyx:    -   -   Number of sepals.—5.        -   Color of sepals.—Closest to RHS 138A.        -   Length of sepals.—0.7-0.8 cm.        -   Width of sepals.—0.2-0.3 cm.        -   Sepal shape.—Lanceolate.        -   Apex shape.—Acute.        -   Margins.—Entire, where not fused.        -   Texture, upper surface.—Glabrous.        -   Texture, lower surface.—Hirsute, pilose.-   Reproductive organs:-   Gynoecium:    -   -   Pistil.—1.        -   Length.—2.7-3.0 cm.        -   Style color.—RHS 155C.        -   Style length.—2.0-2.1 cm.        -   Stigma color.—RHS 156D.        -   Sigma type.—Bi-parted; pubescent.        -   Ovary color.—Somewhat lighter than RHS N144A.        -   Ovary length.—0.2 cm.        -   Ovary diameter.—0.2 cm.-   Androecium:    -   -   Number of stamens.—5, with filaments fused to the corolla            wall.        -   Anther color.—RHS 155B.        -   Length of anthers.—0.25 cm.        -   Pollen amount.—Some.        -   Color of pollen.—RHS 155C.        -   Fertility/seed set.—Has not been determined to date.        -   Disease/pest resistance.—Has not been determined to date.

What is claimed is:
 1. A new and distinct variety of Pentas plant named‘PEZZ0015’ substantially as illustrated and described herein.